Summary: Email asks recipients to help in the global search for missing Australian child, Andrew John Thompson who was illegally taken out of Australia in April 2008.
Status: The information in the email is factual. However, Andrew has now been located and is safe.
Example:
Join the Global Search for Missing Australian Child - Andrew John
THOMPSON
Four-year-old Andrew John THOMPSON was illegally abducted from Australia
by his mother Melinda Margaret THOMPSON (who could also be using the
name Melinda Margaret STRATTON)on 24th April 2008 and has since
disappeared without trace. Shortly before the abduction, one of
Australia's leading psychiatrists found that Melinda has an underlying
mental state that affects her judgement - particularly in relation to
Andrew.
Andrew is now at grave risk of emotional and physical harm. In addition
to an extensive search that has been underway by international
authorities for several months, an international multi-media campaign
has now been launched to help the authorities find him as quickly as
possible. This campaign has the full support of Australian authorities
and Interpol.
This is a genuine campaign. Andrew's abduction can be confirmed by
taking the following link to the Missing Children website of the Family
Court of Australia.
The following link takes you to a poster that contains links to a flyer
that can be downloaded and printed. It also includes suggestions for
displaying the flyer in public places. Please print this poster and
display it wherever possible no matter what country you are in.
They could be in Europe, the UK, the US, Canada, Asia, or anywhere else.
Please forward this email to as many people as possible and ask them to
pass it on to as many people as possible as well. Ask them to use the
flyers to raise awareness about Andrew in their local areas in as many
countries as possible. It will only take one person to recognise either
of them and to report their whereabouts to the authorities for Andrew to
be found safe and well and returned to his home.
ANDREW WILL REMAIN AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF RISK TO EMOTIONAL AND
PHYSICAL HARM UNTIL HE IS FOUND AND RETURNED TO HIS HOME, HIS FAMILY,
AND HIS FRIENDS.
Many thanks for taking part in the Global Search for Andrew, from
Andrew's Dad and Andrew.
Commentary:
This message provided information about missing four-year-old Andrew John Thompson who was illegally taken out of Australia by his mother in April 2008. Unlike some "missing child" emails which are no more than nasty hoaxes, the information in this message is entirely true.
Thankfully, however, Andrew has now been located and is safe. A September 9 Sydney Morning Herald article notes:
A BOY believed to be the kidnapped son of the former NSW deputy fire chief, Ken Thompson, has been found in northern Europe after a two-and-a-half year global search.
Andrew Thompson was three years old when he was abducted in Sydney by his mother, Melinda Stratton, on April 24, 2008, after a custody battle.
Ms Stratton eluded the Australian Federal Police, Interpol and missing children's organisations until she was picked up on Monday after attempting to enrol Andrew in school.
An email from Andrew's father, Ken Thompson, confirms that the boy is in Amsterdam and being cared for by family members.
